As cultural symbols go, the American car is quite young. The Model T Ford was built at the Piquette Plant in Michigan a century ago, with the first rolling off the assembly line(装配线) on September 27, 1908. Only eleven cars were produced the next month. But eventually Henry Ford would build fifteen million of them.
Modern America was born on the road, behind a wheel. The car shaped some of the most lasting aspects of American culture: the roadside diner, the billboard, the motel, even the hamburger. For most of the last century, the car represented what it meant to be American—going forward at high speed to find new worlds. The road novel, the road movie, these are the most typical American ideas, born of abundant petrol, cheap cars and a never-ending interstate highway system, the largest public works project in history.
In 1928 Herbert Hoover imagined an America with “a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.” Since then, this society has moved onward, never looking back, as the car transformed America from a farm-based society into an industrial
The cars that drove the American Dream have helped to create a global ecological disaster. In America the demand for oil has grown by 22 percent since 1990.
The problems of excessive(过度的)energy consumption, climate change and population growth have been described in a book by the American writer Thomas L. Friedman. He fears the worst, but hopes for the best.
Friedman points out that the green economy(经济)is a chance to keep American strength. “The ability to design, build and export green technologies for producing clean water, clean air and healthy and abundant food is going to be the currency of power in the new century.”
Why is hamburger mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To explain Americans’ love for travelling by car. |
| B．To show the influence of cars on American culture. |
| C．To stress the popularity of fast food with Americans. |
| D．To praise the effectiveness of America’s road system. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Soft robots, which can move around the ocean without harming sea life, are ideal for underwater exploration. However, they are not so welcome in robot market because they are extremely slow and have a hard time operating through the water. But that may change soon thanks to a self-driven soft robot created by researchers at the University of California, San Diego.
The recently-developed robot, which resembles a paper lantern, was primarily built using soft materials. Its flexible ribs are attached to a circular plate at both ends. An adjustable nozzle (喷嘴) fitted on one side helps draw in and jet (射出) water each time the robot shrinks. The resulting jets of water enable it to swim forward, similar to a squid (乌贼). A plate holds a waterproof component that can house a camera to record data, which is of great value to further development of the robot. It also has its own power source, allowing it to float autonomously for long periods of time.
“Essentially, we recreated all the key features that squids use for high-speed swimming. This is the first robot that can achieve these jets of water by changing its body shape, which improves swimming efficiency,” said Professor Michael T. Though the squid robot has not been tested in open waters, it successfully swam around coral and fish in a large tank in the UC San Diego Birch Aquarium. What’s more, the robot clocked an impressive speed of 18 to 32 centimeters per second, or about half a mile per hour. Though nowhere close to real squids, it is faster than most other soft robots.
“After we were able to improve the design of the robot so that it would swim in a tank in the lab, it was especially exciting to see that the robot was able to successfully swim in a large tank among coral and fish, showing its possibility for real-world applications,” said Caleb Christianson, who led the study as part of his Ph. D paper.
What’s Caleb Christianson’s attitude towards the newly-developed robot?
| A．Positive. | B．Critical. | C．Uncaring. | D．Doubtful. |
Study English-learning apps and design one
研究英语学习app和设计app
【推荐3】According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the number of solar panels installed(安装)has grown rapidly in the past decade, and it has to grow even faster to meet climate goals. But all of that growth will take up a lot of space, and though more and more people accept the concept of solar energy, few like large solar panels to be installed near them.
Solar developers want to put up panels as quickly and cheaply as possible, so they haven’t given much thought to what they put under them. Often, they’ll end up filling the area with small stones and using chemicals to control weeds. The result is that many communities, especially in farming regions, see solar farms as destroyers of the soil.
“Solar projects need to be good neighbors,” says Jordan Macknick, the head of the Innovative Site Preparation and Impact Reductions on the Environment(InSPIRE)project. “They need to be protectors of the land and contribute to the agricultural economy.” InSPIRE is investigating practical approaches to “low-impact” solar development, which focuses on establishing and operating solar farms in a way that is kinder to the land. One of the easiest low-impact solar strategies is providing habitat for pollinators(传粉昆虫).
Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change have caused dramatic declines in pollinator populations over the past couple of decades, which has damaged the U.S. agricultural economy. Over 28 states have passed laws related to pollinator habitat protection and pesticide use. Conservation organizations put out pollinator-friendliness guidelines for home gardens, businesses, schools, cities—and now there are guidelines for solar farms.
Over the past few years, many solar farm developers have transformed the space under their solar panels into a shelter for various kinds of pollinators, resulting in soil improvement and carbon reduction. “These pollinator-friendly solar farms can have a valuable impact on everything that’s going on in the landscape,” says Macknick.
What is the purpose of the laws mentioned in paragraph 4?
| A．To conserve pollinators. |
| B．To restrict solar development. |
| C．To diversify the economy. |
| D．To ensure the supply of energy. |
【推荐1】One of the best-known sayings must be “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wisdom”. The promises of health, wealth, and wisdom to those who join the teams of early retirees and rises must be particularly pleasing to many people in our modern society.
Q: The underlined word “ retiree” here refers to_________.
| A．people who give up their work | B．people who have a lot of free time |
| C．people who go to bed | D．people who live in a quiet place |
【推荐2】We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.
…
What phenomenon is described in the first paragraph?
| A．Addiction to smartphones. |
| B．Inappropriate behaviors in public places. |
| C．Absence of communication between strangers. |
| D．Impatience with slow service. |
【推荐3】The fear that a strength-based approach will cause narcissism also occurs because we unknowingly fall prey to binary (非此即彼) thinking. We mistakenly believe that one cannot be both confident and humble. We focus on Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian rather than Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. There's no way that Gandhi and Mother Teresa could have achieved what they did without confidence in their strengths, and yet they are both pillars of modesty and selflessness.
When we assume that strength-focus is the same as a self-focus, We fail to entertain the idea that people who know their strengths are, actually, more likely to be pro-social and focus on helping others.
What's the author's attitude towards young kids' strength-based approaches?
| A．Skeptical. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Neutral. | D．Cautious. |
【推荐1】Exploring Earth's bodies of water has brought more awareness to the importance of protecting oceans and the animal life that calls them home. British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor,whose artwork can be seen in multiple underwater attractions around the world, feels this is key. “Most people just see the surface of the ocean and it is hard to think of something so plain and enormous as fragile. We don't regard our oceans as sacred(神圣的)and we should.”
What is the author's attitude towards underwater tourism?
| A．Neutral. | B．Supportive. | C．Cautious. | D．Disapproving. |
【推荐2】Summer Activities
Students should read the list with their parents/careers, and select two activities they would like to do. Forms will be available in school and online for them to indicate their choices and return to school. Before choices are finalised, parents/careers will be asked to sign to confirm their child’s choices.
Activity | Description | Member of staff | Cost |
Outdoor Adventure (OUT) | Take yourself out of your comfort zone for a week, discover new personal qualities, and learn new skills. You will be able to take part in a number of activities from canoeing to wild camping on Dartmoor. Learn rock climbing and work as a team, and enjoy the great outdoor environment. | Mr. Clemens | £140 |
WWI Battlefields and Paris (WBP) | On Monday we travel to London. After staying overnight in London, we travel on Day 2 to northern France to visit the World War I battlefields. On Day 3 we cross into Belgium. Thursday sees us make the short journey to Paris where we will visit Disneyland Paris park, staying until late to see the parade and the fireworks. Our final day, Friday, sees us visit central Paris and tour the main sights. | Mrs. Wilson | £425 |
Crafty Foxes (CRF) | Four days of product design centred around textiles. Making lovely objects using recycled and made materials. Bags, cushions and decorations...Learn skills and leave with modern and unusual textiles. | Mrs. Goode | £30 |
Potty about Potter (POT) | Visit Warner Bros Studio, shop stop to buy picnic, stay overnight in an approved Youth Hostel in Streatley-on-Thames, guided tour of Oxford to see the film locations, picnic lunch outside Oxford’s Christchurch, boating on the River Cherwell through the University Parks, before heading back to Exeter. | Miss Drake | £150 |
| A．Travel to London. |
| B．See a parade and fireworks. |
| C．Tour central Paris. |
| D．Visit the WWI battlefields. |
| A．Two days. |
| B．Four days. |
| C．Five days. |
| D．One week. |
【推荐3】The number of trees larger than two feet across has declined by 50 percent on more than 46, 000 square miles of California forests, the new study finds. No area was spared or unaffected, from the foggy northern coast to the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the San Gabriels above Los Angeles. In the Sierra high country, the number of big trees has fallen by more than 55 percent; in parts of southern California the decline was nearly 75 percent.
What is the second paragraph mainly about?
| A．The seriousness of big-tree loss in California. |
| B．The increasing variety of California big trees. |
| C．The distribution of big trees in California forests. |
| D．The influence of farming on big trees in California. |
【推荐1】Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let's make believe it is about 47 years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.
Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment of young and old.
What are people eating now? People are still eating food. They haven't yet started to take on heir(继承) supply of energy directly as electrical current or as nuclear power. They may some day. But many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.
Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet's surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.
Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.
We are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases. No one has to be ill any more.
Such would be our life in 2060.
1. When was the passage written?| A．In about A.D. 2060 | B．In about 1960 |
| C．In about 2013 | D．In about 2014 |
| A． Many other animals. | B．Many plants. |
| C．Many tourists. | D．A sea. |
| A．there are more pests |
| B．the crops are getting better |
| C．there are fewer people |
| D．there is less water |
【推荐2】Fallen leaves are everywhere as winter comes. Traditionally, people sweep up the fallen leaves, put them in bags and send them to landfills. But there is a growing movement to leave leaves on the ground. They’ll naturally break down over the winter into rich organic matter. The matter also shelters some insects.
But some leaves prevent the growth of other plants. Black walnut (黑胡桃), for example, contains a poison in its leaves that kills many plants, including apples, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes. Besides, whole leaves should not be permitted to remain on walkways, where they could make the path dangerously slippery. They should also not be left on grass lawns, where they are likely to cause disease. In areas that experience snow cover, water would become trapped between grass and leaves. In areas without snow, whole leaves that cover grasses block water and sunlight from reaching the soil below.
Many people choose to break up the leaves using a machine and let the pieces fall between pieces of grass. Then the pieces break down further in the soil. However, this treatment can kill insects and their eggs.
Another method is to take the leaves off the lawn and spread them lightly to cover garden beds. The leaves mostly break down by spring and almost entirely by summer. But if not, they should be removed before spring growth begins.
Leaves also can be used to make leaf mold (腐叶土), a type of fertilizer made entirely from leaves. Just put the leaves in a corner, add nitrogen fertilizer (氮肥), and then water them to keep them wet inside. It may take a year or two, but the leaves will break down into a nutritious soil.
Fallen leaves build rich soil, protect plant roots and shelter wildlife, in your garden, and elsewhere. Done correctly, leaving the leaves is one of the best ways to turn yard waste into free fertilizer, which is good for plants, the environment, and saving money. Why waste that important resource?
Why are Black walnut leaves mentioned?| A．To analyse their unique features. | B．To compare their main differences. |
| C．To change people’s opinions on leaves. | D．To show the potential dangers of some leaves. |
【推荐3】Even before they became fashionable companions for humans, Asia’s wild otters faced plenty of threats. Their habitats are disappearing. They have long been hunted for their coats, or killed by farmers who wish to prevent them consuming fishes. The pet trade, which began picking up in the early 2000s but appeared to speed up a few years ago, has made things worse. The numbers of wild Asian small-clawed otters and smooth-coated otters, two species that are in highest demand, have declined by at least 30% in the three decades to 2019.
The international agreement that governs trade in wildlife, known as CITES, now prohibits cross-border trade in these species. But laws banning ownership are often poorly implemented, as in Thailand, or full of holes, as in Indonesia. And the otter-keeping craze has been dramatically improved by the internet, says Vincent Nijman of Oxford Brookes University.
The purpose of the writing is to ________.
| A．advertise for a photo-sharing app |
| B．introduce the popularity of pet otters |
| C．discourage the illegal otter pet trade |
| D．describe the characteristics of otters |
